Villanova vs. Saint Joseph's prediction, odds, pick for College Basketball

11/11/2024 09:04 PM

It is the Holy War in Philadelphia as Villanova plays Saint Joseph’s. It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Villanova-Saint Joseph’s prediction and pick.

Villanova enters the game sitting at 2-1 on the year. They opened up with a win over Lafayette, but it was still a struggle, as Villanova failed to cover. They would then fall to Columbia as a favorite, 90-80. They finally rebounded last time out, beating NJIT 91-54. Meanwhile, Saint Joseph’s opened the season with a win over Navy. They would then face Central Connecticut, going in as a 17-point favorite, but they would fall by six.

The first match-up between these two teams was back in 1921 when Villanova won 33-22. Villanova has won 54 games, while St. Joseph’s has won 26. Villanova won 11 games straight from 2012 through 2022. Still, in the 2023 game, St. Joe’s would win 78-65 to break the losing streak.

Here are the Villanova-Saint Joseph’s College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel 

College Basketball Odds: Villanova-Saint Joseph’s Odds

Villanova: -1.5 (-110)

Moneyline: -126

Saint Joseph’s: +1.5 (-110)

Moneyline: +105

Over: 144.5 (-115)

Under: 144.5 (-105)

How to Watch Villanova vs. Saint Joseph’s

Time: 5:00 PM ET/ 1:00 PM PT

TV: CBS Sports Network

Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)

Why Villanova Will Cover The Spread/Win

Villanova comes in sitting 48th in KenPom’s rankings, ranking 32nd in offensive rating while sitting 87th in defensive rating this year. They have been shooting well overall, sitting 56th in the nation in effective field goal percentage, while also being solid in offensive rebounding. They are 11th in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage. Further, they are first in the nation in opponent defensive rebounds per game this year.

They are led by Eric Dixon. Dixon was the leading scorer last year, with 16.6 points per game. This year, he has played in just two of the three games, scoring 27.5 points per game in those two games. He also leads the team with eight rebounds per game, while having two assists and two steals. Joining him at forward is Enoch Boakye and Josiah Moseley. Boakye has eight points per game but also added seven rebounds per game and a block per game. Moseley has just 5.3 points per game while sitting with two rebounds per game.

At guard, Wooga Poplar leads the way. He has 16 points per game this year, with 7.3 rebounds per game. He also adds two assists per game while having 1.7 assists per game this year. Terry Perkins has also been solid. He has ten points per game, 3.3 rebounds per game, and 1.7 assists. Finally, Jhamir Brickus has 8.7 points per game this year, while adding five assists per game this year.

Why Saint Joseph’s Will Cover The Spread/Win

Saint Joseph’s has struggled this year shooting, sitting 177th in the nation in effective field goal percentage. Saint Joseph’s sits 112th in KenPom’s rankings this year while sitting 126th in offensive production and 109th in defensive production this year. They have been better on the defensive end of this year, sitting 130th in opponent effective field goal percentage this year. Further, they have been strong in the second half this year, sitting 66th in the nation in opponent second-half points.

Overall, they have been led by Xzayvier Brown. Brown has scored 19 points per game this year while adding five rebounds, four assists, and 2.5 steals per game this year. He is joined at guard by Erik Reynolds II. He is scoring 17 points per game this year, with 5.5 rebounds per game, and 3.5 assists per game. He also has half a block and half a steal per game this year. Finally, Derek Simpson has eight points per game, while adding 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.

In the frontcourt, Rasheer Fleming leads the way. He is scoring 10.5 points per game this year but dominated on the glass this year. Fleming has ten rebounds per gamer this year. He also has two steals per game this season. Meanwhile, Justice Ajogbor has been solid. He is scoring just four points per game but adds a block per gamer this year. Finally, Shawn Simmons II is scoring just three points per game, but adding 2.5 rebounds per game and two assists per game this year.

Final Villanova-Saint Joseph’s Prediction & Pick

Villanova is just 1-2 against the spread this year and struggled in each of their first two games. Still, the over has hit in all three games this year for Villanova. Meanwhile, Saint Joseph’s is 0-2 against the spread this year, while the under has hit in both of their games. Still, the Saint Joseph’s offense has struggled overall this year, but Villanova should be able to score plenty in this one. This should be a tight game, but the best play in this one is on the total.

Final Villanova-Saint Joseph’s Prediction & Pick: Over 144.5 (-115)

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